Combination strainer and container



July 3, 1928:,

E. s. KOGLER ET AL COMBINATION STRAINER AND commnm- Filed. 0011.12, 1927 INVEN TOR. ELSA s. KOGLEEK 4465/??- R KQ LE/E.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES A 1,675,855 PATENT OFFICE.

ELSA S. KOGLER AND ALBERT P. KOGLEB, 01 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINATION STRAINEB AND CONTAINER.

Application filed October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,728.

This invention relates to a strainer for culinary devices, such as pots, kettles, etc., and especially to a strainer which is adjustable to culinary receptacles of varying diameters.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of culinary strainers; to provide a strainer which is adjustable to culinary receptacles of varying diameters; to provide a strainer with means for quickly attaching and releasing the same with relation to the receptacle; to provide a strainer which will be securely attached to a receptacle, thereby preventing accidental release by the weight of the solid content of a receptacle when draining the same; and further to provide a strainer which may also serve as a container when it is desired to steam or cook two or more varieties of vegetables or the like separately in a common receptacle.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the strainer,

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of the strainer applied to a cooking utensil.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates a strainer constructed of a flexible material, such as wire fabric or the like. The outer peripheral edge of the material is rounded or flanged as indicated at 2 and it is also reinforced by means of a split wire ring 3 which terminates in a pair of loops or handle sections 4 and 5. The strainer material or wire fabric is cut radially from the peripheral edge to the center and two plates are attached at this point as indicated at 6 and 7, these plates being pivotally connected as at 8 at the inner ends. The plates may be attached to the wire fabric by soldering, by riveting, or otherwise. Their outer ends are bent over to conform with the peripheral flange 2 of the wire fabric and they are attached to the ends of the wire ring 3. The plate 6 is slotted as at 9 and a pin 10 secured to the plate 7 extends therethrough. This pin imits spreading or expansion movement of the fabric material and it also retains the plates 6 and 7 against otherwise separating. The loop 4 has pivotally attached thereto a bar 11 in ,the lower surface of which is formed two or more latching notches as indicated at 12. These latching notches are adapted to engage the inner end of the loop 5 and as such serve as a lock to secure the strainer on the upper end of a cooking utensil.

11 actual operation, to the upper end of a by merely expanding the lops 4 and 5.

the strainer is applied pot, kettle or the like it through means of When it is placed in position, the loops are pulled together until the wire ring and perlpheral flange 2 of the wire fabric snugly surround and engage the upper end of the cooking utensil. When this position is assumed, the latching bar is lowered into engagement with the inner end of the loop 5 and the strainer is thus securely a plied and held against removal, that is the upper edge of a pot or kettle, such as shown in Fig. 2, is usually provided with a rolled edge as shown at B. When the strainer is applied, the wire ring 3 assumesa position below the rolled edge as indicated at B, and when it is contracted by means of the handles or loop members 4 and 5, it assumes a diameter less than that of the rolled edge and as such is securely held in place. If vegetables, such as potatoes, spinach, carrots or the like have been cooked and it is desired to drain off the water, it is only necessary to apply the strainer as previously described and then to invert the cooking utensil so that the water will drain off. When the contents have been thoroughly drained, the strainer is quickly and readily removed by merely releasing the locking bar 11 as shown in Fig. 1, when the strainer may be removed. The strainer may also be employed as a container for steaming orcooking vegetables. This form of the device is shown in Fig. 2, i. e., instead of being fiat to merely cover the upper end of the cooking utensil as shown in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to depress the wire fabric to form the shape shown at 14 in Fig. 2. With a strainer so constructed, it

is possible for instance to place carrots in the cooking utensil itself, and for instance turnips in the strainer shown at 14. Two varieties of vegetables may thus be cooked sepa rately and if desired, the water level may be maintained at such a point that the vegetables contained in the container 14 will merely be subjected to a steaming action. Obviously the water level may be increased if it is desired to subject them to a cooking action. We have, accordingly, provided a valuable addition to the culinary devices, as the device illustrated may not only serve as a strainer but it may simultaneously be emloyed as an auxiliary steaming or cooking device as illustrated in Fig. 2. The deyice is exceedingly simple and as it may be qulck- 1y applied and released, it will find considerable utility. Furthermore, 1t 15 cxpansible or contractable and as such may be applied to utensils of varying diameters.

While certain features of the present mvention are more or less specifically described, we wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to w1 thm the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide or varying conditions or uses mtg demand.

aving thus described our mvention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a foraminated flexible body portion, a peripheral downwardly turned flange formed thereon adapted to fit over the upper end of a cooking utensil, said flange and body portion being cut from the periphery to a central point in the body portion, a spl t wire ring secured to the flange, the split portions of the ring terminating at the .cut portion of the flange and the split portions of the ring terminating in a pair of handle members, and a latch member carried by one handle and adapted to interlock with the other handle.

2. A device of the character described comprising a foraminated flexible body portion, a peripheral downwardly turned flange formed thereon adapted to fit over the upper end of a cooking utensil, said flange and body portion being cut from the periphery to a central point in the body portion, a pair of plates, one secured to one side of the cut portion and the other to the other side of the cut portion of the body, a pivotal connection between the plates at the center point of the body portion, the outer ends of the plates being bent downwardly over the flange portion and one of said plates having a segmental shaped slot formed therein, a pin secured in the other plate and extending downwardly into said slots and limiting the movement of the plates about their pivots, a s lit wire ring secured to the flange of the b0 y portion, the split portions of the ring terminating at points adjacent the outer' downwardly turned ends of the plates, and

the split portions of the ring terminating in a pair of handle members, and a latch member carried by one handle and adapted to interlock with the other handle.

3. A device of the character described comprising a foraminated flexible body portion, a peripheral downwardly turned flange formed thereon adapted to fit over the upper end of a cooking utensil, said flange and body portion being cut from the periphery to a central point in the body portion, a split Wire ring secured to the flange, the split portions of the ring terminating at the cut portion of the flange and the split portions of the ring terminating in a pair of handle members, and a latch member carried by one handle and adapted to interlock with the other handle, said foraminated body portion being depressed in its center portion to form a container.

4:. A device of the character described comprising a foraminated flexible body portion, a peripheral downwardly turned flange formed thereon adapted to fit over the upper end of a cooking utensil, said flange and body portion being cut from the periphery to a central point in the body portion, a pair of plates, one secured to one side of the cut portion and the other to the other side of the cut portion of the body, a pivotal connection between the plates at the center point of the body portion, the outer ends of the plates being bent downwardly over the flange portion and one of said plates having a segmental shaped slot formed therein, a pin secured in the other plate and extending downwardly into said slots and limiting the movement of the plates about their pivots, a split wire ring secured to the flange of the body portion, the split portions of the ring terminating at points adjacent the outer downwardly turned ends of the plates, and

the split portions of the ring terminating in a pair of handle members, a latch member carried b one handle and adapted to interlock with the other handle, said foraminated body portion being depressed in its center to form a container, and said plates being bent to conform to the contour of said container.

ELSA s. KOGLER. ALBERT P. KOGLER. 

